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“Six days in a car,” Buck says, sounding irritated.
Eddie ignores him, stowing the last of the bags into the back of the truck. He’s fairly sure they have everything they need—and if they don’t, Sophia’s already informed him he can just buy it.
“Dad! Where’s my new boots?”
Buck mutters, “you’re driving,” and jogs inside. “They’re under your bed!”
“Are you sure?” Chris yells back.
Lovely. Eddie’s really looking forward to this drive.
When Sophia’s invitation first came through, Eddie remembers feeling excited. They could have flown, but he and Buck spent a night hashing out a three day journey that would take then through several states—let Chris see a bit more of the country.
Now, the closer they’ve come to actually leaving, Buck’s been getting short and seemingly irritated by the idea.
When he comes back outside, Eddie narrows his eyes. “We can still fly. Whatever your issue is—”
“I don’t have an issue,” Buck says too quickly.
“Sure,” Eddie says. “I’ll go via the airport and you can go on ahead. Explain to Soph why you’re early.”
Before he can storm inside, Buck rests a hand on his elbow, looking awkward. “I know I’ve been complaining. It’s not because it’s six days or that I don’t wanna drive. You said,” he pauses, winces. “One last journey with Chris.”
Eddie softens immediately. “Buck,” he says, pressing his hands to Buck’s face. “I meant before he goes into high school. He’s getting older and I know he won’t wanna do this again.”
“He’s fourteen,” Buck says, finally smiling. “I’m sure he doesn’t wanna do this now.”
“Not if you keep being gross,” Chris says, coming out with his backpack and phone. Eddie’s still not sure he likes the idea of Chris having one, but given the avalanche, the landslide, and the boating incident, he and Buck are convinced they’re cursed and a phone is necessary. (Bobby threatened to bench the both of them until they gave Chris a phone for emergencies.)
“Charger?” Eddie asks.
Chris rolls his eyes. “In the backpack, Dad. Do we really have to drive?”
“Yes,” Buck says instead. “Your dad wants some quality time with you, and I just wanna annoy you.”
Chris sighs dramatically—was Eddie this dramatic at 14?—but climbs into the backseat. “I’m texting Adriana and telling her you’re dragging me around tourist sites.”
Buck tosses Eddie the keys and opens the door to the passenger side. “Jokes on you, Adriana loves the sights.”
Adriana does, in fact; love tourist attractions. Buck took her to Rome for a graduation gift and she’s never stopped talking about it. The architecture, this. The structures, that. Eddie’s not sure he ever needs to visit himself.
“Okay,” he says, “let’s do this.”
Day two and Eddie’s beginning to revise his plan. It’s nice, spending time with Chris and Buck and doing ridiculous things. They go on a walk through Pisgah National Park (where Buck loses a shoe), take a detour to go to Six Flags (which Chris decides he doesn’t actually wanna do) and swing by the Basketball Hall of Fame on their way out of Massachusetts (Chris decides basketball is his new sport of choice, but Eddie knows that’ll last only as far as Texas.
The original plan was to drive through New York and pick up Adriana, but she’s still convinced they’re crazy and wants to fly out a day before the celebration.
“We should have done the same,” Eddie says quietly. Chris is asleep in the backseat and as they join Interstate 87, he can feel himself wanting to stop and they’ve only just started day three.
“Pull over when you can,” Buck says, scratching a hand through Eddie’s hair. It’s nice, even though they spent last night tangled up together, Buck’s breath hot on the back of Eddie’s neck. “Let me drive for a while.”
It’s a tempting offer; Eddie doesn’t mind driving, but he’s never the best at interstate travel. “When we stop for lunch,” he says eventually. “Then you can take over.”
“Alright,” Buck says easily, leaving his hand on Eddie’s thigh as he stares out of the window.
With another five states or so to pass through, many a sight to see a long the way, Eddie knows they’ve got time. They’ll get bored eventually, or Sophia will call and tell them to get a move on before they’re late, and on the last couple of days, they’ll drive through the night, but it’ll be worth it.
(When they finally tumble out of the car at the other end, minus a shoe, three socks, and several hundred dollars, they’re giggling like children, and Chris hugs Eddie, something he doesn’t like to do much anymore.
“Thanks, Dad,” he says quietly. “It was fun.”
That, and the way Buck smiles at him, rubs the ring on Eddie’s finger like an affirmation, makes the driving and irritation of a six day journey worth it.)